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At Community Hearing in Maryland, Activists Speak Out for Immigrants

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May 02, 2018

Blog Post

Joshua Kurtz, Guest Contributor

Members of the HIAS community attend a public hearing at the Montgomery County Council Office Building in Rockville, Maryland, regarding a supplemental appropriations bill which would fund legal representation for residents facing deportation, May 1, 2018.

(HIAS)

HIAS Action DC Member Dena Nelson holds a sign outside the Montgomery County Council Office Building in Rockville, Maryland, May 1, 2018.

(HIAS)

Community members listen during a public hearing in Rockville, Maryland on funding for legal representation for Montgomery County residents facing deportation, May 1, 2018.

(HIAS)

HIAS Staff Attorney Andrea Carcamo holds a sign prior to testifying at the public hearing in Rockville, Maryland, May 1, 2018.

(HIAS)

Members of the Montgomery County Council, including Council President Hans Riemer, preside over a public hearing on funding for legal representation for residents facing deportation, May 1, 2018.

(HIAS)

The national debate surrounding immigration issues continues to intensify with each effort to restrict the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers in the United States.

“If that was passed at the federal level, many, many of our residents would have a pathway to citizenship and efforts like this would not be necessary. But here we are.”

The bill in consideration would allocate $373,957 from Montgomery County’s general fund to the Capital Area Immigrants Rights Coalition (CAIR), a D.C.-based organization that works to ensure equal justice for immigrants at risk of detention and deportation. If the measure passes, the CAIR Coalition will provide legal counsel to low-income residents facing deportation.

Whereas individuals convicted of criminal offenses are entitled to public defenders if they cannot afford a lawyer of their own, immigrants who are residing in the United States without documents face civil charges and are thus not eligible for public defenders.

Andrea Carcamo, a staff attorney with HIAS in Silver Spring, Maryland, testified about HIAS’ work in the area and the urgent need for accessible legal counsel. “By gaining lawful status,” she noted, “immigrants can emerge from the shadows. This, in turn, will allow them to better provide economic and emotional support to their families.”

In the Greater Washington, D.C. area, HIAS provides legal representation to individuals seeking asylum and other forms of immigration relief. The legal team also screens and provides Know-Your-Rights presentations to immigrants at the Guatemalan Consulate in Silver Spring, Maryland.

“The Jewish faith requires us to embrace the stranger, and demands we help those in need,” said Michael Friedman, the president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington D.C.

The Montgomery County Council’s decision comes at a moment of great uncertainty for immigrants in the United States.

“Under the Trump administration,” Carcamo explained, “immigrants who would have normally been released on parole or bond are being held for months and sometimes over a year.”

Montgomery County, which is the largest county in the State of Maryland, is not the first jurisdiction to consider such a measure. Both the city of Baltimore and Prince George’s County are part of the Vera Institute of Justice’s SAFE Cities Network, a group of 11 jurisdictions that provide publicly-funded legal representation to immigrants facing deportation. Washington, D.C., New York and California have also implemented similar programs.

“In essence,” Carcamo explained, “providing funds for legal representation is a very direct and practical way for the county to demonstrate that it is serious in keeping families and the community together.”

A final vote on the measure has yet to be scheduled.

Joshua Kurtz is a Community Organizer and Avodah Corps Member at HIAS. To take action by writing directly to the County Council, click here.To learn more about HIAS’ work advocating for America’s tradition of welcome, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.